Running-gear for automobiles.



Patented Dec. 3|, l90l. W. J. &. G. LANE. RUNNING GEAR F08 AUTOMOBILES.

(Application led Feb. 11, 1901.)

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Patented Dec. 3|, |90I. W. J. & G. LANE. RUNNING GEAR FOB AUTOMOBILES.

(Application med Feb. 11, 1901.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. LANE AND GEORGE LANE, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK,

.ASSIGNORS TO THE LANE MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SE EOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 690,158, dated December 31, 1901.

Application iiled February 11, 1901. Serial No. 46,759. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it knownithat we,W1LLIAM J AMES LANE and GEORGE LANE, citizens of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, county of Dutchess, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the running-gear of motor-vehicles; and it consists in a special construction of the vehicle-frame whereby great strength is given to the frame and provision made to relieve the frame from any torsional strains to which it may be subjected in traversing rough roads or by striking an obstruction on the road.

Our invention further consists in the arrangement and support ot' the vehicle-body relative to the frame, by reason of which the axles of the vehicle supported in the frame, while maintaining their horizontal distance, may oscillate relative to each other and the vehicle-body, and thus providefor ease of riding for those in the vehicle.

Our invention further consists in the arrangement, support, and adjustment of the motor device employed relative to the vehicle body and frame, by reason of Whiclrthe objectionable vibrations and oscillations commonly imparted by the motor device to the vehicle-body are done away with.

Our invention also relates to various details of construction of the parts constituting the running-gear and accessories, all ot' which .2 and 3 are respectively sectional end views looking from tbe left of Fig. l taken on the lines 2 2 and 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the supporting-frame; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the support for the front axle, and the pivotal connection between the reach and the front axle. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation and plan view, partially in section, showing the arrangement of the device for adjusting the sprocket-chain, position of levers of the brake mechanism, dac. Fig. S is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of the supporting-frame for the rear axle, also showing, in partial section, the arrangement employed for connecting the sections of the rear axle to the compensating gear.

In the drawings, A represents the vehicleframe, which is formed of metallic tubes with suitable forged connections between them and which consists of a support for the front axle l0, a support for the rear axle ll, a reach 2 interposed between the two supports, and a pivotal connection 13 between the reach and the support for the front axle. 'lhe support for the front axle is provided at its outer ends with the bearings lll, in which the separate axles l5 are pivoted. Located upon the support for the front axle l0 are the plates 16, which carry the front springs 17 ofthe vehicle. The support for the rear axle ll is divided at its center and the two ends connected through the rectangular horizontally-disposed portion 18. The reach-tubes 12 are rigidly secured to the support for the rear axle near the outer ends ofsuch support,and these tubes converge and are connected together at their front ends by a box-strap forming a part of the pivotal connection 13. Surrounding the support for the front axle 10 is a band 20.

2l is a bolt having its head. in the cavity of the box-strap and its shank carried through the support for the axle lO and band 20 and secured by means of a nut or nuts 22 on its outer end.

The pivotal joint between the reach l2 and the support for the front axle lO forms a connectin g means which permits either the front axle or the rear axle to oscillate relative to vposite end of the axle.

each other, While maintaining the horizontal distance between the axles. This feature is one of considerable importance in vehicles intended for use on country roads, where the surface of the road-bed is uneven and where the wheels are likely to strike obstructions, such as stones, &c. The freedom of oscillation permitted relieves the frame from any liability to torsional strains.

23 represents a brace connecting the rectangular 4portion 18 ot' the support for the rear axle with the reach-tubes 12.

Located upon the support 11 for the rear axle near the outer ends are the plates 24, which carry the rear springs 25. The details of the construction of the support for the rear axle is shown in Fig. 8.

lla represents the main members secured on their inner ends to the forgings 11b. The side members 1lc are also connected to these forgings and to corresponding forgings 1ld at their forward ends, which are connected together by the end member 11e. Located in the forgings 11b are the roller-bearings 26. Similar bearings may also be arranged in a forging 11f on the outer ends of the main members 11a.

27 represents the rear axle. The front Wheels 28 of the vehicle are free to revolve on the axles 15, while the rear wheels 29 of the vehicle are rigidly secured on the opposite ends of the axle 27. The roller-bearings 26 may be dispensed with. The inner ends of the axle 27 are connected together in the hub 30, Which carries the compensating gear B and brake-Wheel O. The connection is effected by means of a bolt 27a, secured in the right hand end ot' the axle 27 by means of the pins 27h. Secured over the head ot this bolt is an interiorly-threaded ring 27e, adapted to coact with a screw-thread 27 d on the op- The gears 3l of the compensating gear B are secured to the ends of the axle by means of the pins 30a.

lThe construction of the compensating gear B presents no particular points of novelty. Hence a further description of this device is unnecessary.

Surrounding the brake-wheel C is a band D, which has three points of attachment-at Da to the transverse portion lle of the support for the rear axle, at Db to the brake-rod E, which is pivoted at F on the brace 23, and at Dc to a lever G, secured to the brake-rod E. At the outer end of the brake-rod is a lever H, connected at its upper end to a rod I, under the control, through a foot-lever K, of the person operating the vehicle. It will be understood that by making tension forward upon the rod I the two ends of the band D, connected at Db D, will be drawn together and the band tightened upon the brakewheel C. We make no claim in this application for this construction of thebrake and merely describe it as apart ofthe running-gear of the vehicle. The outer edge of the brakewheel C is formed as a sprocket-wheel J.

Projecting from the forward axles 15 are the levers 15, which are connected together by the transverse rod 15b.

L represents the steering-lever, pivoted at M to a bent rod N, located in bearings O P in the front portion of the vehicle. Connected to the rod N is a rod 15, which is also connected to the rod 15b. By moving the handle to the right orleft a corresponding movement can be imparted to the wheels 15 in order to steer the Vehicle.

R is the body of the vehicle, which in the present case is shown provided with two seats. The body may, however, have a single seat or may be of any shape or form desired. x

Located under the iioor of the vehicle is the motor device 40, which in the present case is a two-cylinder engine pivotally supported at both ends upon the body of the vehicle by means of the pivoted links 41 and 42. It will be observed from the drawings that the motor device is arranged at approximately an angle of forty-iive degrees to the axis of the frame and vehicle-body. This arrangement is considered advantageous, as the vibratory impulses created by the motor are transmitted at an angle to the vehicle-frame. Where a motor is arranged vertically-7l. e., at right angles to the frame or in the axis of the frame-the vibratory impulses of the motor are directly transmitted to the frame and an unpleasant vibration is felt. By placing the motor at approximately the angle shown such unpleasant vibrations are made imperceptible.

43 represents the sprocket-wheel of the motor device; 44, a sprocket chain through which power is transmitted from the sprocket 43 on the motor device tothe sprocket .I on the rear axle. In order to take up any slack which may form in the sprocket-chain,we provide the tension device 45, which consists of the extensible rod 46, pivoted tov the motorframe at 47 and connected,at its opposite end in a bearing 48, within which it may rotate, which bearing is connected, through the arms 49, pivotedat 50, to the end member 1le of the support fory the rear axle. It will be observed that the arrangement of this tension device is such that Vertical movement of the motor device as a whole relative to the rear axle may take place, that the angular inclination of the motor device relative to the vehicle body and frame may be adjusted, and that Vertical oscillation of the vehiclebody and motor device relative to the rear axle or the rear axle relative to the motor device may also take place without disturbing the relation of the parts as determined by the tension device. It will also be observed IOO that the body of the vehicle has four points of support-two on the front axle and two upon the rear axle-and that an elastic device-z'. e.,springs isintroduced between the frame and the vehicle-body at these four points. W'e consider this feature of im portance, as by the arrangement specified the body of the wagon when in movement may maintain a parallelism between its axis and the surface of the earth, and notwithstanding the fact that owing to the roughness of the road the forward and rear axles may oscillate as regards each other. This fact, coupled with the fact of angular support for the motor device below the vehicle, insures great ease in movement without any torsional strains or unpleasant vibrations.

We wish it understood that we consider it of special importance that the motor be suspended below the body of the vehicle. In all motor-vehicles employing steam as a motive power of which we are aware the motor has been mounted within the body of the vehicle-as, for instance, under the front or rear seat. This we consider objectionable, as the vibrations of such a motor must necessarily be felt by the occupant of the vehicle, and the many connections between the motor, boiler, wateitanlr, duc., must be made within the body of the vehicle, which with our device are made outside of the body of the vehicle, where they can be readily got at for in,- spection and repair. Further, the heat from the steam-engine, cylinders, piping, te., is not objectionable, as is the case where the engine is within the body of the vehicle.

In this specilication we have mentioned various special features of invention. W'e do not wish it to be understood that we attach less importance to those features of invention which are shown and described but not specifically mentioned than to those which have been mentioned.

Having thus described our invention, we claiml. A frame fora motor-vehicle, comprising a support for the front axles,a support for the rear axle, having a portion of its body turned forward horizontally to form a rectangular member open at the rear, a reach rigidly secured to said support for the rear axle, and a pivotal joint which will permit oscillation of the axles while maintaining their horizontal distance interposed between the reach and the support for the front axles.

2. As a portion of a frame for a motor-vehicle, a support for the rear axle, consisting of a tubular body having its central portion turned horizontally forward to form a rectangular member open at the rear.

3. A frame for a motor-vehicle, comprising a support for the front axles, a support for the rear axle, consisting of a tubular body having its central portion turned horizontally forward to form a rectangular member, a reach interposed between said supports for the axles, and a transverse brace between said reach and said rectangular member.

4. Aframe for a motor-vehicle, comprising a support for the front axles, provided with independent pivotal bearings for the front axles, a support for the rear axle, comprising a tubular body having its central portion turned horizontally forward to form a rectangular member, roller-bearings in the interior of said support for the rear axle, and a reach device connecting the two axle-supports together.

5. A support for the rear axle of a motorvehicle, consisting of two main members, two side members, andan end member, said members secured together by means of suitable foi-gings, whereby a support is formed having its central portion turned horizontally forward to form a rectangular member.

6. A frame for a motor-vehicle, comprising a support for the front axles, a band surrounding said support, a support for the rear axle, a reach, a box-strap connecting the ends of said reach, and a horizontally-arranged bolt having its head in the cavity ofthe box-strap and carried through the support for the front axles and band, and a nut for securing the end of said bolt.

7. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a vehicle-body, a motor device pivotally sus# pended at both ends on and beneath said body.

8. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a vehicle-body, a motor device suspended on and beneath said bodyin an angular position, and means for adjusting the angular relation of said motor device relative to said body.

9. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a vehicle-frame, a vehicle-body, a motor device suspended on and beneath said body, and means for adjusting the relation of said motor device to the body and frame and of a character which will permit the vertical oscillation of the frame relative to the body.

l0. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a vehicle-body, a motor device pivotally suspended on and beneath said body, and means for varying the distance between said motor device and one ot' the axles of said vehicle and also permit of oscillation of the axle relative to said motor device.

ll. In a motorvehicle, the combination with the vehicle-frame, a vehicle-body elastically supported on said frame, a motor device pivotally suspended on and beneath the vehicle-body, and power-transmission means between said motor device and an axle supported in said frame.

l2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with the vehicle-body, of two pivoted links depending from said body, and a motor device pivotally connected to the free end of said links.

13. In a motor-vehicle, the combination IOO with a Vehieleffmme, a motor device, and an l duced between said motor device and said elastic support for said motor device, said mosprocket-wheel. 1o tol' device pivoted upon said supportand 10- In testimony whereof We afix oursignaeated between said support and said frame. tures in the presence of two witnesses.

14. In a motor-vehicle, the combination WILLIAM J. LANE. witha. body, a motor pivotaily suspended be- Witnesses: GEORGE LANE. 10W the body, a. frame earryingadriving-axle, J. E. PEARSON, a. sprocket-Wheel, and asproekebchain intro C. E. STEOHER. 

